[TUTORIAL] Basics of Wardrobe Rigging in Blender.

This tutorial is written for people who already know how to use Blender and have basic skills.

Well, let's start and do something cool.
For example, we take an idea ​​"swords behind back". I chose this wardrobe-armor and this sword.

Part I. Preparation

1. I created the new folder for our work and copy necessary files:

2. Open the material-file(HUF_MEDIUM_D.MATERIAL) and write correct textures. I do this for usability 3d models, but this is not necessary, and then keep in mind that the model could be without textures (rather there will be the white texture - NULL_01.DDS).

Before I imported the sword, I renamed it GREATSWORD09_SMALL.MESH to GREATSWORD09.MESH, because the texture and material have the same name.

3. Create desired shape of swords. Here is necessary skill to work with 3D models, but it's pretty simple. :) Remember, move and rotate the model need only in Edit- mode.

Now we have everything we need.

Part III. Basics of Rigging.

1. Our choice - Chest, Shoulders or something else?
When you decide to add a new element, you must choose which part of the armor it will be attached. If it is any part that has a standard texture(*_chest.png, *_pants.png) - will need to remake this texture. If we choose a Ex-part - we need to make a new texture, or not to make. Our armor (MEDIUM_D) does not have ExChest, so I will make a new piece of armor. And I just renamed my "Swords" in "ExChest" and now I can use a separate texture for this part of the armor.

2. Skeleton. Pose mod.

What is "skeleton" you can read here: Building A Basic Low Poly Character Rig In Blender. We already have a skeleton and there is no need to create a new one. But you should have a basic knowledge of this, what is "Pose mod" and how to enable it.
If you chose our skeleton huf_heavy_d, then pressing ctrl+tab and you will get Pose mod. Switch Display mode (display area on the right) in "Sticks" - for convenience. Note that there can also choose to display names of bones. Try to rotate (R) bones and see what happens with our model. Always remember the key combination ctrl+z - this is the most important thing in any work. ;)

3. Start rigging our "swords".

Now we need to add to our "swords"(ExChest) new modifier. See image.

You must select "Armature".

Then rename this modifier to MyRigModif(this is a standard name for all Wardrobes in the game).
Select Object: huf_heavy_d - this is our skeleton to which we attach our ExChest.
Put a checkmark - Bone Envelopes.

Here, we need to switch our ExChest in "Weight Paint"-mode. (ctrl+tab). At the same time, our skeleton must be enabled in Pose mod.

Choose a bone 'Bip01 Spine2" to which we bind our ExChest.
(In fact, each vertex can simultaneously bind to the three bones. But we are doing a simple rigging for "solid" swords. Our swords will not bend, flex and always have the same shape.)
The blue color indicates that this bone does not affect our ExChest. Take a look and learn how to look other parts of our armor in this "Weight Paint"-mode.

Let's start to "paint". The image shows a different "weight" gives a different color.
In area on the right we got a new "Vertex Group" - this thing stores information(vertexs weight) about how our mesh attached to a bone.
(You can switch Viewport Shading press Z-button)

You can paint all vertexs manually but I'll show you an easy way. So as we do a simple rigging, it is enough to make our ExChest had the same weight = 1. Switch back to Edit- mode and we see that our "Vertex Group" looks different.

Select all (A) and click "Assign". Now, all our vertexes have the same weight=1 and are linked to one group.

4. Test.

Rotate bones as we did earlier in "Pose mod". It looks like everything is working. :)

And we have completed Part III. Our "swords" are attached to the skeleton.

Part IV. Completion. Again choice. Export.

1. Finishing Touches.
We move our swords into position and rotate them a bit.

Now everything is ready, we can export our model. Hooray!

2. Export. Choice again.
Before exporting the model, make sure that you do not have unnecessary elements (such as a "Сamera" and a "Lamp" - just delete them). Then select all parts - you can press "A"- "select all" (but it does not always work correctly and often when you export you can get an error) or do this manually (Shift + LMB) by clicking each part in the list (always works correctly).

And ... Oh, wait, what about choice? :)

Our model is ready, but we need to choose what we want in the end.
We have the following options:
a). To break(replace) the Old model (HUF_HEAVY_D) - just export our model with the same name.

b). We are making a new model (simple version) - export model with a modified name. (for example: HUF_HEAVY_DS, where the letter "S" - meaning "sword.")

c). We are making a new model with a Unique name - then a little harder. For example, we have a new character class Bladerunner and want to make armor for this class - HUF_BLADERUNNER_03. Then we need to rename all parts in our 3d-model, including the skeleton.

3. Ending
After exporting the model, you need to change the material-file. And let's rename the texture of the sword in a more appropriate name. GREATSWORD09.DDS -> EXCHEST_SWORDS.DDS
a). HUF_MEDIUM_D.MATERIAL

c). This variant more difficult, first you must copy HUF_HEAVY_D.SKELETON and rename it HUF_BLADERUNNER_03.SKELETON
Rename all textures: HU_MEDIUM_D_*.PNG -> HU_BLADERUNNER_03_*.PNG
Then take(copy) HUF_MEDIUM_D.MATERIAL and use it as the base material file for the new model. Rename HUF_MEDIUM_D.MATERIAL -> HUF_BLADERUNNER_03.MATERIAL.
Open in Notepad and change ALL of this material HuF_medium_D for this material HuF_bladerunner_03
Should finally result as follows: